Embossing-machine.



F. A. PUTNAM.

EMBOSSRNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. 1915.

1,241,278.- Patentedfiept. 25, 1917.

InvenTor. Fred A. PuTnum ATTys barren STATES rarnwr or ies.

FRED A. PUTNAIVI, F MEIiROSE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN OR TO MARKEM MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

EMBOSSING-MACHINE.

Application filed May 4, 1915.

" citizen of the United States, residing at Melrose, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve-v ment in Embossing-Machines, of which the following description, in connection wit-h the accompanying drawing, is aspecification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to embossing machines and has for its object to provide a novel construction by which a clearcut finished embossed impression can be made at each operation of the machine. Embossing machines of this type are commonly used for making an embossed impression on leather, cloth or other material, such impression sometimes being made with an ink compound adapted to make a gold, silver or other 001' ored impression. In operating on some kinds of material it is difficult to obtain a clear-cut finished impression at one operation of the machine, and it is customary, therefore, for operatives to hold the work on the work support while the machine makes several repeated impressions. This, of course, consumes time and limits the output of the machine.

I have provided herein a novel embossing machine by which a clear-cut impression can be made at one operation, and I accomplish this end by providing means for giving one of the embossing elements between which the work is pressed during the embossing operation a' hammer-like blow. My invention is especially advantageous when embodied in those machines constructed to do so-called hot embossing, and in which the die member is heated. When my invention is applied to a so-called hot embossing machine which is arranged to do simply burnt embossing work, the hammerlike blow which is given to one of the elements of the embossing couple while the work is pressed between them result-s in sinking the embossing die into the work after the latter has been burned slightly, thereby making a clear-cut impression. When a machine of this sort is provided with inking means for supplying-the die member with an ink compound of that nature which can be applied without previously sizing the work, the first contact of the heated die against the work serves to temper the work Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 191?.

Serial No. 25,835.

and cause an even spreading of the ink compound over the surface of the work with which the die is in contact, and the hammerlike blow applied while the work is held between the elements of the embossing couple serves to set the ink compound so that when the die member is separated from the work a clear-cut impression is produced which has a better luster than can be produced in those machines where the embossing is accomplished by pressure only and without the hammer-like blow. This hammer-like blow may be given to either of the two elements of the embossing couple, that is, either to the work support or to the die member.

In order to give an understanding of my invention I have illustrated herein a selected embodiment thereoi in which the hammerlike blow is given to the work support, but I desire to state that the invention is not limited to this particular type of machine.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows the head portion of an embossing machine having my improvements applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the work support, some of the parts being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line w-w, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the effect of the hammer-like blow.

My invention is applicable to embossing machines of various types and constructions. I have chosen herein to show it as it would be applied to an embossing machine of the type shown in a co-pending application Se. No. 875,100, filed December 2, 1914, by myself and Charles F. Robbins as ioint inventors.

1 designates the stand of an embossing machine having a head 2 in which is mounted a vertiCally-reciprocating plunger carrying a printing head 3 to which the die member 4 is secured in some suitable way. This printing head and die member constitute one element of the embossing couple, the other element of which is a work support or platen 5 on which the Work to to be embossed is received. This work support is yieldingly sustained on a stem 6 slidably mounted in bearings 7 carried by a bracket 8 secured to the stand 1. Said work support is yieldingly held in its operative position by means of a spring 10 which encircles the stem (3. one

end of the spring abutting against a shoul- I der 11 formed on the stem, and the other end engaging an adjustable bushing 12 screwed into the bracket and by which the tension of the spring can be adjusted. The lower end of the stem-6 is screw-threaded, as shown at 13, and has a check nut ll screwed thereto by which the upward movement of the platen or work support is limited. The machine herein shown in provided with means for supplying an ink compound to the die member 4, this being accomplished by means of an inking roll 1:") carried by a swinging arm 16 which is pivoted to the head 52 at 17. This inking roll 15 receives its ink from an ink plate 18, said inking roll in its vibrating movement passing from the inking plate 10 across the face of the die member 4: to supply the ink compound to the latter.

The parts thus far described are or may be all as illustrated in said co-pending applicati on and form no part of the present invention. In the operation of a machine of this type the work to be embossed is placed on the platen 5 and when the machine is set in operation the printing head 3 is moved downwardly to bring the die member 4: against the work. The construction is so designed that the die member 4 continues its movement somewhat after it is brought against the work, the platen 5 yielding during this continued movement. The impression is made by the pressure of the die member against the work, the degree of pressure being determined by the tension of the spring 10.

My invention comprehends means for giving one of the elements of the printing couple a hammer-like blow while the work is pressed between them thereby to set the die member into the work and produce a clearcut finished impression. This hammer-like blow may be given to either one of the elements of the printing couple. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, I have provided means for giving said blow to the platen or work support 5, and I provide for this by meanswhich limit the yielding movement of said work support and bring it to rest before the die member has completed its downward or embossing move ment. As a result when the die member is brought against the work the platen or work support 5 will yield until its movement is ll1l(l(lll arrested by such limiting means thereby giving it a quick blow, such blow operating in conjunction with the continued movement of the die member to set the impression and produce the desired effect.

Any suitable means for thus limiting the yielding movement of the platen or work support may be employed. I have herein shown for this purpose a stop screw 20 which is adjustably mounted in an arm 21 se red to the bracket 8, said stop screw being positioned in alinement with the stem 6 so that the end of the stem will bring up against the stop-screw when the platen yields. This stopsscrew can be adjusted vertically to give it the correct position and it is locked in po-' sition by a lock nut 22.

The effect of forcing the platen 5 downwardly against the stop 20 by the downward movement of the printing head 3 is to give said platen a hammer-like blow when the stem strikes the stop 20, and this blow sets the die member 4 into the work to produce the desired clear-cut impression.

As stated above the device has especial advantages when it is used in connection with a heated die member I, and the machine shown in the drawings is one in which the head or block 3 is heated by means of a suitable electrical heating unit 23. If the embossed impression is to be a burnt impression merely then the die member t will not be supplied with ink. In such case when the die member 4 comes against the work it will begin to burn the surface of the work where it contacts therewith and this burning oper ation will continue while the die member and platen 5 are movin against the action of the sprlng 10 with the work between them. When the movement of the platen is suddenly arrested by the .stop 20, the sli ht continued further movement of the diemember 4, together with downwardly the hammer-like blow resulting from the impact of the stem 6 against the stop-screw 20 causes the die to sink into the surface of the work slightly where it has been burned, thus producing the desired clear-cut impression.

If the machine is fitted up to make a printed impression, as shown in the drawing, then when the heated die is inked and is broughtagainst the work, the heat of the die tends to make the ink more fluid so. that it will spread uniformly over the surface of the die, and said heat also operates to temper or condition the work. In the slight interval between the time when the die contacts with the work and the stem 6 brings up against the stop 20, the work becomes conditioned and the ink rendered sufficiently fluid so that it is evenly spread over the surface of the impression. The hammer-like blow coming at this time serves to set the impression so that when the die member is removed from the work a clear-cut inked impression is produced. Vhere a silver or gold ink compound is used this ha1nmerlike blow operates to give a burnishing effect, thus producing an impression with a good luster.

I have illustrated the above operation in Fig. 4 wherein the platen 5 and die member 4 with the work w between them are shown in full lines in the position they occupy when the die member is first brought against the work, and in broken lines in the position they assume when the platen has reached the lower limit of its movement and has been arrested by the stop 20. \Vhen this occurs, the further continued movement of the printing head 3 and die member 4 brings them into the dotted line position Fig. 4, thus causing the die member to sink into the work. The sudden stopping of the movement of the platen by the stem 6 bringing up against the stop gives the hammerlike blow above referred to.

\Vhile I have illustrated herein a selected embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the constructional features shown.

I claim:

In an embossing machine, the combination with a frame, of a head mounted &

thereon for vertical movement, an embossing die carried by said head, a bracket secured to said frame, a Work support mounted on the bracket and provided with a stem extending through the bracket, a spring acting on said stem and yieldingly sustaining the work support slightly above the bracket, means to move the head toward and from the work support, such means operating to bring thevembossing die into engagement with the work before the head completes its movement toward the work support whereby the work support is caused to yield, and a stop to engage said stem before the head completes its downward movement.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FRED A. PUTNAM. 

